


Burning Passion

by showstoppingnumbrr



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: M/M, Past Abuse Mention, Past Domestic Violence, Soulmate AU, Trans Henry Hidgens, Trans Male Character, Transphobia, chad is not the best partner, ewww, ted is a barista at beanies, the real latte hottay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-13 09:17:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21491959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/showstoppingnumbrr/pseuds/showstoppingnumbrr
Summary: How could Henry know who was and who wasn't his soulmate?
Relationships: Henry Hidgens/Ted, Zoey & Ted
Comments: 12
Kudos: 82





	1. Prologue

This story starts like no other. When you are born, you have the first words your soulmate says to you and gets replaced with their name after your first interaction. 

… 

Okay, actually, that started like a lot of other stories. But this one is special.

You see, this story starts with Henry Hidgens. He is a college professor at Hachetfield Community College. He is quite tall, white hair (he dyes it, it’s a good look), and he’s never seen without wearing his signature black turtleneck. 

That day, his soulmate mark was burning more than usual. It burned whenever he was close to his soulmate. Which was understandable cause his boyfriend was right next to him. 

His boyfriend was Chad Smith, and Henry thought he was the one. 

But his name never marked his skin.

That’s what was keeping him up that night. His boyfriend wasn’t his soulmate. He didn’t need his soulmate, Chad was amazing, handsome, and fit him just right.

And Henry’s name was on Chad’s thigh. Or, that’s what he said. Chad never showed Henry.

But the question still stands, why was his mark burning?

That could be answered by the evidence that Ted Richards lived a floor above the couple. Ted had a dilemma. He had a common soulmate tag. 

His tag said “Are you okay?”

So whoever he came in contact with, and said that, Ted thought they were the one. It lead him to some very disastrous interactions. 

But he didn’t want to think about those works on his arm. He took a sip of his drink and leaned back in his armchair. He didn’t need his soulmate, he was okay being alone.

But was he?

He sighed. “Shut up Richards,” 

He climbed into bed that night, just as restless as the man in the room below him, still thinking about that person who would hopefully love him soon.


	2. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry's situation gets a lot worse

Henry barely got sleep that night. He was crabby, he was tired, he didn’t want to see anybody or anything. 

Unfortunately, they ran out of coffee. Chad promised to get some more, and with a kiss goodbye, Henry stomped out of the apartment. 

When he got to Beanies, he stepped in line. There was a man in front of him who was yelling very unpleasant things at the barista trying to take his order.

“You don’t have raspberry!? Fuckin’ go get it!” 

“We- we don’t get an order of that ‘till tomorrow, sir, could I interest you in-”

“I don’t want your other shit! Get me my drink or I’m suing your ass!”

“Hey, back off!”

Henry didn’t know what became of him. But when he screamed that, the man turned around the snarl at Henry.

He instinctively stepped back.

“What did you say to me?”

“He told you to back off, now go before I come to your side of the counter!”

Henry knew that voice from anywhere. Emma was standing next to the barista, who looked to be shaking from fear.

The man huffed and exited the cafe.

“Are you alright?” Henry asked the barista.

He shook his head and sniffled. “I’m sorry Emma, I can get back to w-”

“No, no, Zoey can take over for right now. Please, go take a break. Eat something too,”

He hugged Emma and went to the backroom. Henry nervously came forward. 

“Is he going to be alright?”

“Yeah, Ted’s strong. He just has a lot of anxiety,” Emma said. “Hey, if I could ask, could you sit with him for a little? Just while he calms down. I’ll let you have your coffee for free,”

“I was going to sit with him anyways, but thank you Em,”

Emma smiled and let Henry into the break room. Ted was sitting at the table with Zoey.

“Thanks again,” Emma said. 

Emma took Zoey out of the room, leaving the two alone.

“How are you?”

“I feel like I can’t breathe,”

Henry nodded. “I’m sorry. You really held your own against him though. I’m sorry he was giving you a hard time,”

“Well, thank you for standing up for me,” 

“It’s not a problem, Ted,”

“Why don’t you come with me? To my work- I mean. Emma excused you for the day, and you can hang out with me so you don’t have to stay here by yourself,”

“That actually doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” Ted said, starting to lighten up to Henry.

Henry waited in the room while Ted went to change out of his uniform. He winced as his soul mate mark burned.

He scratched his arm as it burned.

‘Ted Richards’ marked his skin.

“Holy sh-”

“Hey, I’m back. Why don’t we go out?” Ted bubbly grinned at him.

He was screwed.


	3. Finding Out the Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chad's a liar

Ted wasn’t bad company but Henry was barely paying attention to the man while they walked to the college.

He is my soulmate. My soulmate is right here. 

But what about Chad?

Was it morally right to just dump him because he found the one who he was meant to be with? 

“Earth to Henry?”

Henry hummed and looked at Ted. 

“You okay?”

Now that they were in the sunlight, Ted looked ethereal. 

Ted was his soulmate.

“Yeah, sorry,”

He couldn’t spring this on the man right now. They kept walking as Ted talked about whatever was on his mind (Henry found that very adorable- no, Hidgens, you can’t think about Ted like that right now)

Once they got to the building, Ted looked a little more anxious as students and teachers passed him. Henry wanted to hold his hand but as they neared his office-

“Hen!”

Henry opened the door to his office to see Chad sitting at his desk.

“Oh… hi,”

“Who’s this?” Chad lost his happy face and was glaring at Ted.

“Uh, this is Ted. He’s staying with me today?”

“Like a little kid?”

“Chad!” 

Ted looked angry but under that, Henry felt sad for him. 

“Chad I think we need to have a chat,”

“Yeah, we do since you think it’s okay to bring random fucktoys to your office,”

“I’m not-”

“Guys!” Henry screamed for their attention. “Ted and I aren’t fucking, you need to stop that,”

Chad put his hands up defensively. 

“We all need to talk so sit down and shut up,” Henry snapped.

Ted’s eyes widened and he quickly went to sit. He was still anxious from before and obviously this was not a situation he wanted to be in. So Henry took a deep breath. No more yelling.

Chad went around the table and sat next to Ted. He was still glaring at the other man.

“Chad, why did you never show me your soul mark?”

Chad looked blown away. “I didn’t need to, I was your soulmate,”

“Well,” Henry rolled up his sleeve to see the golden ‘Ted Richards’ on his arm. “You aren’t”

Ted’s eyes went wide and rolled up his sleeve. ‘Henry Hidgens’

“You’re my- my-”

“This can’t be true!” Chad stood up. “We are soulmates, we are- we are happy together!”

“I don’t know if I was,” Henry whispered.

“Shut up! This is a prank right? Darling, tell me this is a prank!”

“It isn’t,”

“You,” 

Chad turned on Ted who was still in the chair looking dumbfounded at his arm.

“You ruined everything!”

Chad went to attack Ted but Henry flew in front of them, getting struck by Chad.

Ted shoved Chad back and bent down to see Henry.

“You’re my soulmate?”

“It’s not true!” Chad screamed again. 

“Chad, stop,” Henry said.

“You can’t just kick me out of your life,”

“You are going to leave and calm down for a bit, then we will talk,”

Chad screamed again and ran from the room. Henry sighed and looked at Ted.

“I’m sorry,”

Ted hugged Henry tightly. “You’re my soulmate,”

“I am,”

They don’t know how long they sat on the ground hugging, but when the bell rang, they split apart.

“I have to go to my lecture, stay here?”

Ted nodded. “Can I- Can I kiss you?”

Henry smiled, leaning in to kiss Ted. It fit so perfectly. 

They were made for each other.


	4. The Secret (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry tries to break up with Chad but he threatens to reveal his secret,,, and Ted has big enough arms to run to for comfort,

Henry could barely think throughout his lesson. All he could think about was Ted and his beautiful eyes, his lips on his own, his hands-

“Professor?”

Henry jumped from his thoughts to see Emma. 

“Oh, hello Emma dear, what did you need?”

“I just wanted to see if Ted is doing fine,”

Sigh,,, Ted

“Oh, yes, Ted is beautiful- I mean, doing beautiful-ly?”

Emma stared at her professor, trying to map out what was wrong.

“Is he now?”

“Very much so,” A literal happy sigh came out too. 

“What’s up?”

He refrained from lying or saying ‘the ceiling’. 

“Ted is my soulmate,” Henry whispered.

“Oh my gosh- really?!” Emma literally SQUEALED. “Go get that bread- Wait- What about Chad?”

Chad,,, damnit

“I’m breaking up with him as soon as I get home,” Henry confessed.

“Good, he lied to you! Fuck him UP professor,”

Henry rolled his eyes. “Thank you Emma for your insight,”

“I gotta get to study hall but I’ll text you later, you funky lil gay,”  
Henry suppressed a laugh and waved his favorite student off. He didn’t waste any time by walking to his office.

Ted was half asleep on the couch and was curled up and wearing Henry’s coat. 

“Hi,” Henry said.

Ted smiled sleepily. “Hiii soulmate,”

Henry blushed and went over to Ted. He was immediately pulled into a kiss.

“Missed you,” Ted said while peppering kisses on his face and neck.

“I was gone for an hour,”

“Still too long,” 

Ted pulled Henry onto the couch so now he was on top of Ted. Both of them realized what was happening and they pulled apart, faces redder than tomatoes. 

“Do you want me to take you home?” Henry asked.

Ted nodded and let Henry help him up. Ted wrapped his arm around Henry and grabbed his other hand to hold. Henry raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’m tired,” He said, shrugging.

Henry snorted. “Like that’s the only reason you want to hold my hand,”

Ted smiled and let Henry take him down the street.

“I like right in that building,” Ted pointed.

“That’s where I live!” Henry said.

“Oh that’s wonderful, you can stop by when you want to,” Ted smirked.

“I might tomorrow, I need to talk to Chad,”

Ted stopped and bit his lip. Something was obviously on his mind.

“Are you going to pick him over me?”

“No, no I won’t. I don’t know you too well but it still doesn’t erase the fact that he lied about being my soulmate. We will be fine together, Ted,”

Ted’s face lightened up before he unlocked his door. “See you tomorrow?”

“Of course,”

Ted gave him a quick kiss before walking into the door. Henry was going to turn around before he heard a yell.

Henry rushed back and knocked on the door. Ted reopened it.

“I heard a scream,” Henry said.

“Oh, that was just your lover boy,” A man on the couch said. 

“Oh. I thought you were hurt,”

“Nope, everything’s fine here,” Ted gave him another kiss before closing the door and screaming again.

Henry smiled and turned to the staircase. Now time to deal with Chad. 

He walked down the staircase as slow as he could. He didn’t want to deal with Chad but the minute he did, it would be over with.

He unlocked his door to see Chad… nowhere?

The rooms were still intact so he wasn’t packing but he at least was not in the living room like Henry expected.

He walked around his apartment and opened the bedroom door. Chad was sitting on the bed and holding one of Henry’s sweaters.

Shit.

“Hen?” He sniffled. 

“Hi,”

“Is he gone?”

“He’s home, yes,” Henry said stiffly. “We need to talk,”

“You weren’t serious, right? We can still be together?”

“I’m afraid not,”

“What? You’re really breaking up with me?”

“You lied to me,”

Chad’s face screwed up in anger and he threw the sweater at Henry. “I’m not leaving, I love you!”

Henry knew this would turn out in a screaming match so he took a deep breath.

“Chad, you lied to me for two years, I can’t forgive that. You need to leave. I’ll help you pack and I can even help you find a housing arrangement but-”

“NO!” Chad screamed, now standing up. “I’m not!”

“Chad, if you don’t stop screaming and take a few steps back, I’ll need to call someone,”

Chad screamed again. “I don’t know what I did wrong! You can’t just up and leave me because you found a better man to screw!”

“You- you lied to me, were you not listening!” Henry was angry now. “And don’t you dare speak about Ted that way!”

“What are you gonna do? Run and cry to him?” Chad took a step forward. “Are you forgetting what you told me? About your past? I can ruin you,”

Henry took a deep breath. 

“You will dump him and I can forget about this,”

“No,”

“No?” Chad laughed. “You want me to go down to your college and just- slip out your secret?”

Henry stiffened. 

“Get out of my house,”

“You want me to t-”

“I SAID GET OUT!” 

“See you at work tomorrow,” Chad said before slamming the door. 

Henry counted to ten before rushing out the door and upstairs. Ted, he needed to get to Ted.

He knocked and practically fell into Ted’s arms when he opened.

“What happened?”

“Ch-Chad will- he said-”

“Henry, please calm down for me- Paul can you get a glass of water?”

The man named Paul rushed to the kitchen. Ted closed the door and lead him to the table.

“What did Chad say he’d do?” 

“He said- he said he’d tell my s-secret,”

“And what’s that?”

Henry sniffled. “That- that I’m trans,”


	5. The Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chad is a dick  
Tw: transphobia

“That- that I’m trans,”

Henry looked at Ted to see his reaction.

“Why does- wha- how-” He spluttered. “Why does that matter?”

Henry’s eyes went wide. “They might fire me, I can lose my job and my- my students!”

“Over my dead body they will,” Ted said. “I’m not going to let that useless asshat take what my boyfriend loves the most,”

Ted looked away at his realization. “I- I mean-”

“No, no, I want to be your boyfriend,”

“That was the weirdest and cutest asking out process I’ve ever witnessed,” Paul said from behind them.

Ted threw a nearby throw pillow at Paul. The roomates laughed.

“We are going to the college again,” Ted said. “Paul, you comin’ with?”

“I wanna see this go down. And I wanna see this Chad guy fucking GET MURDERED!” Paul said enthusiastically.

“I don’t think we are going to murder h-”

“Oh yes we are,” Paul and Ted said at the same time.

Even through the panic and grief Henry was feeling, he smiled and laughed lightly at their antics. “Then get your coats on, it’s time for a field trip,”

\---

Once they got to the college, Henry scanned the parking lot for Chad’s car. The blue car stuck out like a sore thumb to him.

“He’s already here,”

“Then we better hurry,” Paul said. “I’ll drop you off in the front and park,”

Henry nodded and got out of the car with Ted. They sped down the halls and to the main office. 

Chad was sitting on one of the chairs in the waiting room. 

Henry grabbed Ted’s hand to steady himself. 

Before Chad could say anything, the head teacher came out to their office.

“Mr. White, hello- And Mr. Hidgens, what a surprise! And I don’t recognize you two,” she said.

“Ted Richards and Paul Matthews,” Paul said. 

Chad turned to glare at them. The group was lead into Mrs. Dickinson’s office. 

“So, what did you need Mr. White? You sounded quite urgent on the phone,”

“A fact about Henry,” Chad sent a glare to the man in question for effect. “Has come to my attention and I thought you’d want to know as well,”

“He’s being a bigot,” Ted hissed.

“Mr. Richards, was it? Please let him speak, it will be your turn soon,”

Ted slinked back. He hated Chad with all his being. 

“It has come to my attention that Mr. Hidgens was a Ms. Hidgens,”  
Henry flinched at that. Mrs. Dickinson surveyed the scene before her gaze fell on Henry.

“Is this true?”

“Before you fire me, I- I just want to say I really like working here and-”

“Henry, I’m not firing you,” Mrs.Dickinson cut into his babbling. “Why did you think this was necessary information Mr. White?” 

“I thought you would-” Chad looked flabbergasted. “I thought you would want to know this and fire her!”

Henry flinched again and Ted tightened his grip on Henry’s shoulders.

“That is enough Mr. White,” Mrs. Dickinson got up from her chair. “I will not sit down and watch you hurting one of my staff! Get out of my office,”

Chad looked so angry. Without any grace he ran from the room.

Mrs. Dickinson sat back down. “I don’t take it too nicely to people like Mr. White,” She took out a picture frame to show them. “My wife is trans- like you Henry. And many students here are trans as well, so I appreciate you telling me. Not because I hate you, but because we can help you have a better environment. However, it doesn’t seem like you need it in your class, we can help you get away from Mr. White,”

“That would be helpful Mrs. Dickinson, thank you ma’am,”

“Of course Henry. Now run along, it’s getting late and you have an 8 am tomorrow,”

Henry nodded and walked out of the office with Ted and Paul.


	6. End of Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mixed feelings cause Henry not to know to smile or cry.  
~Thank you for reading this story~

Henry was silent on the way back to his apartment. He was happy that he didn’t get fired but that… that was a lot. 

He opened the door to the apartment. It looked so empty. 

He shuffled to his bedroom but stopped at the fireplace. On the mantle, tons of pictures of him and Chad hung from the wall. Pictures of their old football buddies and theater and memories Henry would never be able to think about without thinking of-

“What are you doing?”

Henry whipped around to see him. 

“This is my apartment,”

“No- it isn’t,” Henry could pick up the hurt in his voice. 

“Yes it is. My name is on the lease- I pay half of the rent,”

“You can stay with your new bitch,” Chad hissed. “Pack up your shit and leave,”

Maybe it was better if Henry did leave. He sniffled and nodded.

“I’ll be back in the morning for all of it,”

Chad huffed and slammed the door to their- his- bedroom. Henry walked out of the apartment and up the stairs quickly, not wanting to think about him right now.

Was this the right choice? Did he do the right thing?

Henry felt like he couldn’t move. His breathing picked up in pace and he fell down the wall. He put his hands over his ears as they started ringing.

His body racked with sobs and he felt numb. The voices in his head was too much- too right.  
‘Go back to Chad’ ‘Ted will hurt you! You barely know him!’ ‘How dare you- you sick bitch’ ‘You hurt everyone around you’ ‘You just need to d-’

“Henry?”

He looked up. 

It was Paul.

He tried to greet the worried man but no words came out.

“Can I sit with you?”

Henry nodded. Paul slid down the wall to sit next to the crying man. 

“Uh, what’s wrong?”

Henry still couldn’t speak. Which only made him cry more. 

“Hey- hey- it’s okay,” Paul said. “I don’t know you too well but I know you’re strong, you can cry if you need to, it’ll be okay,”

Henry sniffled and fell into Paul’s arms. It was quite awkward since Paul didn’t know what he was doing but Henry enjoyed the comfort. 

“Where is Ted?” Henry whispered.

“Inside nappin’, didn’t want to bother him,” Paul said. “Do you want to talk now?”

Henry shook his head. 

“Well at least come inside, okay? I can make you some food,”

Henry nodded and hugged Paul. “Thank you,” He mumbled in his ear.

“Of course. Ted really likes ya, and that means you’ll be seeing a lot more of me,”

Henry smiled softly before walking into the apartment. 

\---

Details are fruitless when it comes to love stories. By the end, you just know they fell in love. 

But for fluffs sake, I will go down the list of Ted and Henry’s relationship.

Henry left Chad (thank the Duck) and moved in with Ted. Paul felt like the third wheel for a bit but eventually got together with Emma. 

Henry continued teaching at the community college where Emma got her biology degree two years later and quit Beanies. Ted quickly followed her lead and they started up their own bakery with a big NO COFFEE RULE!

Eventually, Paul outgrew the tiny apartment with the two love birds and rented a flat for just him and Emma close by. Henry and Ted stayed in the place because it felt like a home for them.

Henry got a husky puppy without Ted knowing but both of them welcomed lil Alice into their family quick enough. Alice was a frisky pupper and had some own little puppers of her own a few months later and Ted and Henry kept one and named him Bill (human names since they were freaky like that)

Ted proposed to him on December 20th. They got married that following April. 

The wedding was perfect. They both wore cute little suits and had Emma and Paul’s little baby as their flower girl. 

“Everything’s okay,” Emma patted Henry on the back. “Ted will be thrilled to see you- and stop playing with your hair, it looks perfect,”

Henry beamed at her and squeezed Emma in a big hug. 

“Professor- you’re- you’re squishin’ me,”

“I just love you so much Emma,” Henry had tears in his eyes as he looked down upon her. “Thank you for coming,”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world, Professor,”

“I think you’ve learned the privilege of calling me Henry now, Em,”

“I will never call you by your first name, and you know this,” She said with a little chuckle.

“Alright sunshine. Now walk your old man out to his marriage,”

“You’re only 25-ish years older than me,” Emma was beaming through her snarky comments however.

She grabbed his arm and walked out to the ceremony.


End file.
